Phillips grabs late Blues brace

Veteran striker
Kevin Phillips came off the bench to earn a dramatic 2-1 Barclays Premier League victory for Birmingham with a two-goal blast against local rivals Wolves at Molineux.

Kevin Doyle looked to have given Wolves boss Mick McCarthy the perfect present on his 51st birthday by breaking the deadlock shortly before half-time.

Kevin Phillips

But then the 36-year-old Phillips replaced the injured Christian Benitez and struck twice in a six-minute spell to leave the visitors in the bottom three.

The home side were the first to settle and a superb pass from Ferguson picked out the run of Lee Bowyer. However, the former England midfielder – who scored the winner in the match between the sides at Molineux earlier in the season – was denied a shooting opportunity by a fine tackle from Ronald Zubar.

Wolves came more into the game and made use of their extra man in midfield via a 4-5-1 formation – and Zubar wasted a great chance to put them in front after 32 minutes.

A free-kick from the left flank by Matt Jarvis found its way to the unmarked Zubar at the far post – but he sent his header back across goal when he should have at least tested Hart.

Kevin Foley volleyed straight at Hart from eight yards out before Doyle put Wolves ahead with his sixth goal of the campaign.

There was an element of good fortune as Jarvis’ low centre hit Roger Johnson, ricocheted onto a post and fell perfectly for the striker to convert the rebound – but it was no more than the visitors deserved after overcoming a sticky start.

Cameron Jerome had a shot deflected wide as Blues tried to salvage a point – and then Phillips dramatically turned the game on its head. With 10 minutes remaining he levelled from close range after Gardner had turned a Fahey centre back across goal.

And Phillips won it in the 85th minute when he chested down Stephen Carr’s cross and beat Hahnemann with an angled drive into the corner of the net.